Belt conveyer idler roller



Feb 21, 395% F. N, SMITH BELT CONVEYER IDLER ROLLER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 11, 1947 FRANKLIN /v. .sM/rh;

Feb. 23, 119518 F. N. SMITH 22498v@l3 BELT CONVEYER IDLER ROLLER Filed July 11, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2.

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Patented Feb. 21, 1950 UNITED S TATES PATENT OFFICE BELT CQNVEYER IDLER ROLLER Franklin Smith, Aurora, 3111.

Application luly'll, 1947.,rSeriaINoL7GD253 C1. E30.8- 2U) "'5 Claims.

This invention "relates "to belt conveyors, and more particularly "to idler rollers for belt 'conveyors.

A main object of the invention is jtoprovide a novel and improved idler roller device for belt conveyors which is very simple in structure, smooth in operation and effic'ient in performance.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved idler roller for belt conveyors which is very easy to lubricate, provides an efiicient and automatic distribution of lubricant therein and operates in a substantially frictionless and noiseless manner even :under conditions of heavy loading.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent "from the following description and claims, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken through a belt conveyor roI-l'er support, illustrating a plurality of idler rollers constructed according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged longitudinal crosssectional view taken through the central upper idler roller of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged elevationaldetail view, partly in cross-section, of a bailie nut employed in the structure of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an end view of the baffle nut of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is an enlarged perspective viewof-an expansion ring employed in the structure of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is afragmentary cross-sectional detail view illustrating an alternative embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, 'H designates generally a 'belt conveyor support structure, said support structure comprising a pair of longitudinal channels l2, [-2 to the top flanges of which are secured a plurality of transverse supports Supported by suitable hangers I l, 14 secured to the bottom flanges of channels T2, i2 is the shaft 15 on which is journaled the belt return roller 16. Secured to the end portions of each transverse support It are the inwardly inclined upstanding brackets W, H and 'secured'tothe intermediate portions of support I3 are spaced upstanding brackets 18., t8. ported in the opposed top portions of the respective pairs of brackets 1.1 .and 1.8 are the inclined shafts l9, IS, on each of which is journaled a roller 28. A similar roller 21 is'iournaled on a horizontal shaft 22 non-rotatively supported on the opposedinner :top portions of the brackets l8, it between the rollers 26, 2G, the aligned set of rollers 2G and 2| defining a trough-like "rolling supporting means 'for a conveyor belt moving thereon parallel 'to the direction of channels I2, l2.

Non-rotatively sup- "which is formed with a groove 38.

The idler-rollers 1'6, 2|], 2ll,-and 2! are generally similar in structure except that return roller 16 is-much longer than 'the top rollers 20, 2B and 2 I. This structure is illustrated in Figure 2 wherein the detailed components of the intermediate top roller 2! are shown by way of example.

"In Figure '2, "the roller shaft 22 comprises a tubular member 23 formed with respective right and left hand threads at its ends, as shown at 2-4 and 25. Into one end of the tubular member 23 is threaded a plug '28 and into the other end is threaded a grease fitting -21. Member 23 is formed along its length with a plurality of apertures, shown at 28. Adjacent each of the threaded portions 24 and 25 the tubular member 23 is formed with a shouldered seat 2!? on which is positioned-a ballbearing assembly 30. Threaded on the respective thread portions 2d and 25 are bafile nuts 3 Leach *baiile nut *having an inner reduced portion '32 bearing on the inner race of a ball bearing assembly 311. Secured to said reduced portion 32 is a helicoid spring whose outer periphery is substantially flush with the outer periphery of the main body of the baille nut and with the outer periphery of the outer race of theball bearing assembly 3E. The body of the ba'file nut 3-1 is formed with a pair of annular grooves 34, 34 in eac'ho'f which is'positioned an expansive resilient metal ring '35 and arawhide washer 36 which is pressed outwardly by the ring 35. Threaded on the outer portion of each of the threads '21 and 25 is a lock nut 3'! Groove 38 is of non-circular peripheral shape, such as hex agona-l peripheral shape, and seats in a correspondingly shaped notch formed in the ver ical inner flange portion 39 of the adjacent bracket 8, whereby the shaft structure 22 is non-rotatively supported at each end thereof on the brackets 8, '18.

The baffle nuts 3! are for-med at their outer faces with recesses "40 to receive the lugs of a spanner wrench.

The helicoid springs 33 are in opposed right and. "left hand relationship 'atthe respective ends of the shaft structure '22.

Secured to the inner portions of the tubular member 2-3 adjacent "the respective ball bearing assemblies 30, 3B are helicoid springs H, 61, said springs being respectively in opposed left and trig-ht hand relationship. Rotatively surrounding the said springs and enclosing the inner portion of tubular member as is a sleeve 42 to the intermediate portion of which is secured an "inwardly i extending booster bar "43. The end edges of .the

booster -bar 33 are in rotative abutment with the respective inner end coils of the he'licoid springs H, '41, said bar acting to impel lubricant :eutwardly through said springs responsive to the rotation of sleeve 42-, toward the respective hearing assemblies 30, 3|]. Secured to the ends of sleeve 42 and surrounding the bearing assemblies and the baffie nuts 3| are sleeve members 44, 44 to which are secured the end walls 45, of the roller 2|. The rawhide washers 36, 36 seally engage the inside surfaces of the respective sleeve members 44, 44 to prevent the escape of lubricant; outwardly past the baffle nuts 3|, 3|.

The lubricant is admitted into the tubular member 23 through the fitting ill and flows outwardly through the openings 28, the flow of lubricant toward the bearing assemblies 38, 30 being promoted by the impeller action of the booster bar 43 and rotating flat helicoid springs 4|, rotatable with the roller 2| about the fixed shaft 23. The grease or lubricant is pressed by the booster bar 43 into the space between adjacent convolutions of the spring 4|, where it is tlsreadably forced outwardly toward the bearings 3 outer opening 28, through the tubular member 23 and back to the space between the tubular member 23 and the sleeve 42, through the inner openings 28. Movement of the lubricant toward the ball bearing assemblies 30, 3!] is thus assured.

Openings 46, 46 are provided in the roller 2| for inserting a tool to unfasten the securing bolts of the booster bar 43 when the roller is to be disassembled for cleaning or repair.

As an alternative arrangement, the booster bar may be omitted and the inner ends of springs 4|, 4| may be secured to the sleeve 42 and M, as shown in Figure 6, the outer ends of said springs being left free, so that the springs 4|, 4| rotate with sleeve 42 and provide the required lubricant impeller action to feed lubricant outwardly toward the bearing assemblies 30.

While a specific embodiment of an idler roller structure for belt conveyors has been disclosed in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications within the spirit of the invention may occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, it is intended that no limitations be placed on the invention other than as defined by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An idler roller structure for belt conveyors comprising an apertured tubular shaft, a ball bearin assembly mounted on each end portion of the shaft, a nut member secured to each endportion of the shaft outwardly adjacent each bearing assembly, a helical spring secured to the nut member and abutting on the bearing assembly, a roller having an inner axial sleeve surrounding and rotatively engaging the nut members, and an impeller element carried at the intermediate portion of the sleeve and projecting internally thereof toward said apertured tubular shaft.

2. An idler roller structure for belt conveyors comprising an apertured tubular shaft, means for admitting lubricant into said shaft, a ball bearing assembly mounted on each end portion of the shaft, a nut member secured to each end portion of the shaft outwardly adjacent each bearing assembly, a helical spring secured to each nut member and abutting on the adjacent bearing assembly, the springs being coiled in opposite directions, a roller having an inner co-axial sleeve surrounding and rotatively engaging the nut members, and an impeller element carried at the intermediate portion of the sleeve and projecting internally thereof toward said apertured tubular shaft.

3. An idler roller structure for belt conveyors The excess grease is moved through the comprising an apertured tubular shaft, means for admitting lubricant into said shaft, a ball bearing assembly mounted on each end portion of the shaft, a nut member secured to each end portion of the shaft outwardly adjacent each bearing assembly, resilient means secured to each nut member and abutting the adjacent hearing assembly, a helicoidal spring secured to the shaft at each end portion inwardly adjacent a bearing assembly and extending around the shaft and inwardly toward th intermediate portion thereof, the springs being coiled in opposite directions, a roller having an inner co-axial sleeve surrounding and rotatively engaging the nut members, and an impeller element carried at the intermediate portion of the sleeve and projecting internally thereof between the inner ends of the springs toward said apertured tubular shaft.

4. An idler roller structure for belt conveyors comprising an apertured tubular shaft, means for admitting lubricant into said shaft, a ball bearing assembly mounted on each end portion of the shaft, a nut member secured to each end portion of the shaft outwardly adjacent each bearing assembly, resilient means secured to each nut member and abutting the adjacent bearing assembly, a helicoidal spring secured to the shaft at each end portion inwardly adjacent a bearing assembly and extending around the shaft toward the intermediate portion thereof, the springs being coiled in opposite directions, a roller having an inner co-axial sleeve surrounding and rotatively engaging the nut members, deformable packing means between the nut members and said co-axial sleeve, and an impeller element carried at the intermediate portion of the sleeve and projecting internally thereof toward said apertured tubular shaft, the innermost coils of said springs bearing on the end edges of said impeller element.

5. An idler roller structure for belt conveyors comprising an apertured tubular shaft closed at one end and provided with a grease admission fitting at the other end, a ball bearin assembly mounted on each end portion of the shaft, a nut member secured to each end portion of the shaft outwardly adjacent each bearing assembly, a helicoidal spring encircling and secured to each nut member at one end and abutting the adjacent bearing assembly at its other end, another helicoidal spring secured to the shaft at each end portion thereof inwardly adjacent a hearing assembly and extending around the shaft toward the intermediate portion thereof, said helicoidal springs being coiled in opposite directions on the oppositesides of the mid-portion of the shaft, a roller having an inner co-axial sleeve surrounding and rotatively engaging the nut members, deformable packing means between the nut members and said coaxial sleeve, and an impeller element carried at the intermediate portion of the sleeve and projectin internally thereof toward said apertured tubular shaft, the innermost coils of the inner helicoidal springs bearing on the end edges of said impeller element.

FRANKLIN N. SMITH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 16,337 Edwards Apr. 27, 1926 2,446,616 Smith Aug. 10, 1948 

